Every Time I Wear This Mascara, People Think I'm Wearing Falsies

Sometimes story ideas come about completely unexpectedly. Like, for instance, when you wiggle on a new-to-you mascara right before heading to the gym one night and arrive home later with a slew of fresh compliments under your belt and therefore decide you must write (and Instagram) about it as soon as humanly possible. Here's what happened: Even though I normally avoid wearing makeup whenever I work out, last night on a whim, I tried ModelCo Fibre Lash Brush-On False Lashes ($45) before heading out the door to Equinox. I'd tried fiber-technology mascaras and lash products before (to no avail) and didn't want to risk experimenting on a morning when I'd have to, you know, interview a celebrity or attend an important event. (This job sometimes requires some strategy.) So since I assumed I'd likely sweat off the formula regardless (and I don't really care if I end up looking crazy at the gym), I gave it a whirl.

Surprisingly, I kind of fell in love with it right away. While other formulas have either weighed my lashes down or resulted in a sprinkling of noticeable fibers all over my eyes and cheeks—not cute—ModelCo's antidote was 100% mess-free. First, you layer on the Extension Mascara (which looks gorgeous on its own, by the way) before following it up with a healthy coating of the white Fibre Lash Extensions. Then you finish the look off with yet another coating of the Extension Mascara. And if you want to be a true rule breaker (like me), you might even layer the brand's Lashxtend Mascara ($25) on top of that. (My lashes are my favorite feature to play up, and since mascara is essentially a kryptonite-level weakness when it comes to my beauty aesthetic, I can never get enough.)

By the time I was finished and ready to leave my apartment, I had to admit my lashes did look significantly longer than they typically do (and again, I naturally have pretty long lashes so this isn't something I say lightly). But then came the reinforcement. After arriving at the gym and checking in, the girl at the front desk exclaimed, "Oh my God! Did you just get lash extensions? They look so good!" Slightly embarrassed because I've never been smooth when it comes to accepting compliments, I explained to her my lashes were actually thanks to a new mascara I had tried—not extensions or falsies. She was shocked. Then, just when I had recovered, hopped on a treadmill, and put in my earbuds, the girl running next to me (who had very pretty lashes) stopped, flagged me down, and asked, "Excuse me, but do you have lash extensions? Your lashes look amazing." Thus, I performed my spiel for the second time.

Intrigued by the attention, I decided to post to my Instagram Story a quick snapshot (something I only do when I'm truly enchanted by something I've just discovered or am excited to try), and almost instantaneously the DMs came flooding in—from people (kindly) demanding the product link to others who were curious if I actually was wearing extensions or falsies. Once again, my reply was a resounding nope. Plus, it's also worth mentioning when I posted the photo on Instagram. It was a good four to five hours after I had applied the mascara, forced myself through a grueling workout, made dinner, and collapsed onto my bed. (Hence I'm wearing such a chic grey sweatshirt in the above photo—I kid.)

Impressive, right? Suffice to say, if and when complete strangers question whether or not my lashes are real, I'll continue to sing ModelCo's lash-transforming praises.